Runnerball is a new sport created by Robert Thackray from United Kingdom in November 2019. The sport combines the popular sports of Rugby (Union and League), Football (Soccer) and Football (American).


Number of players:

Each team must have 12 players at the start of a match and cannot have more than 12 players throughout the match. A team can also have up to 6 substitutes on a bench but can only make 3 substitutions during a match.

Making a substitution:

To make a substitution, the manager of the team must inform the sideline referee of which player will be replaced and which substitute the player will be replaced with. When play stops, the sideline referee will hold up a board with the substitute and players number and they will swap when the player's and the substitute's hands touch. Players cannot be substituted back onto the field.

Periods of play:

The match is made up of 4 20 minute quarters. After each quarter, the player's get a 7 minute break.


A play-off is a way of starting a quarter. It is made up of each team being at least 10m from the halfway line and a player from one team passing back to a teammate or kicking it towards the opposition. A cointoss decides what team starts with a play-off and the teams switch who does the play-off every quarter.


A scrum is a way of restarting play. It's is made up of 5 players from each team trying to step I've the ball that is on the halfway line. 5 players from each team will lock arms and push against the opposing team. When a team steps over the ball, a teammate from behind will grab the ball and play will continue.

Winning team:

The winning team is the team with most points at the end of the 4th quarter.


There are 5 ways to score:

1. A try (5 points) - get into your opponent's tryzone and touch the ball onto the ground with downwards pressure.

2. A conversion (2 points) - after a try is given, kick the ball (you can drop kick it or kick it from the ground) in a position perpendicular to where the try was scored and at least 30m back. The ball goes between your opponent's goal posts and above the goal bar.

3. A penalty kick (3 points) - kick the ball between the goalposts in a penalty

4. A penalty try (4 points) - kick the ball to a teammate in your opponent's tryzone, who then scores a try.

5. Goal (2 points) - the ball is kicked between the opponent's goalposts and above their goal bar and it is not a conversion or a penalty.


If the referee thinks a foul was commited (a tackle above the shoulders, unsportsmanship, etc.), They can award a penalty to the opposition. A penalty is a kick (drop kick or from the ground) from the place the foul was committed. From a penalty, you can:

1. Kick for a penalty kick.
2. Kick for a penalty try.
3. Kick to a teammate.
4. Kick to yourself.

Advances, rucks and plays:

An advance is when a team advances atleast to the next 10n line within four plays. If the team advance 10m and the 4th play ends, the team will play-off from the closest 10m behind the player with the ball. If the team fails to advance, the opposition will play-off from the halfway line.

If the player with the ball is tackled in a play and it is the first tackle in that play. The teams will ruck. If the team wins the ball back, the play will continue until the next tackle which ends the play. If the opposition win the ball in a ruck, play will continue with them.


A tackle is when a player from one team takes down a player from the other team. If the player being taken down doesn't have the ball, the tackle is complete when their elbow and/or back touches the floor. If the player being taken down has the ball, the tackle is complete when the ball touches the floor.


A fumble is when a player drops the ball. Play continues with the first player to recover the ball.


If player passes with their hands or arms, it must be a backwards pass. They can pass in any direction with the rest of their body.

In touch:

The ball is in touch if the player holding it crosses the touchline into the touch are with any part of their body. If a ball goes into touch, the teams scrum at the halfway line.

Incomplete pass:

If the ball touches the ground before a pass is complete, it is an incomplete pass and the teams must scrum from the halfway line.

Equipment Required: Field of play:

The pitch is 100m long and 70m wide (excluding tryzone). The tryzone is 70m wide and 10m long and is on both sides of the pitch. Lines surround the the pitch and separate the pitch, the tryzones  and the touch area. There are also lines down the pitch every 10m. The goalposts must be 5.6m wide, 3m to the top of the bar and at least 3.4m tall. The goalposts must be in the middle of the line that separates the pitch and the tryzones.

The ball:

The ball is spherical and is 68-70cm  in circumference. It is made of leather or other suitable material. It does not weigh more than 450g and not less than 410g at the start of the match. It has a pressure equal to 0.6 ā  1.1 atmosphere (600 ā  1,100 g/cm2 ) at sea level.


No protection is needed except for optional shin pads.

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